What options are open for entry to Thailand?

[thailandsgreat]

I have been out of Thailand a while but my retirement visa is still valid some months and I plan to return. I hope to go to my home country and get vaccinated before I return to Thailand.

 

While travelling I have lost contact with the latest developments. Where do I best read about regulations, asq, hotels, health insurance, Phuket sandbox and other options that could be useful?

 

I may start in Pattaya but will consider Phuket sandbox.

 

Thank you

 

 

Edited August 11, 2021 by thailandsgreat

[ubonjoe]

The best location for up to date info is the Thai embassy or official consulate in you home country since that is where you will apply for a certificate of entry at.

You can find a link all of them here. https://www.thaiembassy.org/

[thailandsgreat]

26 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

The best location for up to date info is the Thai embassy or official consulate in you home country since that is where you will apply for a certificate of entry at.

You can find a link all of them here. https://www.thaiembassy.org/

Thanks UbonJoe, I don't know for which time you come up with the best information.

 

I come from northern Europe. It seems I need PCR, health insurance, hotel booking and will get 2 weeks quarantine. For Phuket sandbox with quarantine on the entire island I also need vaccination.

[fishtank]

Is Northern Europe a new country?

[thailandsgreat]

10 minutes ago, fishtank said:

Is Northern Europe a new country?

It's more like the Fourth Reich (EU) is trying to fit all 27 into one.

[grain]

thailandsgreat, forget it for now mate, really, all the fun has gone. Unless you have a tirak/wife waiting for you or you have property/belongings in Thailand...just forget it for now. 

[ThaiVisaCentre]

You also can refer to this page which covers all entry options, and shows all the related hotels.

Thailand Entry Requirements / Options

[thailandsgreat]

11 minutes ago, grain said:

thailandsgreat, forget it for now mate, really, all the fun has gone. Unless you have a tirak/wife waiting for you or you have property/belongings in Thailand...just forget it for now. 

That's a topic I was hoping to get views on. I stayed in Pattaya and saw it being shut down last winter. Went to C.M. and saw the square at Bradu Tapae completely empty of people, Burger King had left. For some reason C.R. also seems to have lost its attraction. Jetyod st. not at all like  before.

 

Well. We'll see. Maybe time has come to go there and look for a wife ???? Organization, food, what have you are #1 in the Kingdom.

[hotchilli]

On 8/11/2021 at 7:15 PM, thailandsgreat said:

I may start in Pattaya but will consider Phuket sandbox.

Check the embassy in your location as to what you specifically need for entry back to Thailand...

and forget about starting in Pattaya, that's not even an option

Phuket sandbox it is for you.

[BritTim]

11 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

... forget about starting in Pattaya, that's not even an option

There are ASQ hotels in Pattaya, and those arriving in Suvarnabhumi are allowed to use them.

[khunPer]

On 8/11/2021 at 2:15 PM, thailandsgreat said:

Where do I best read about regulations, asq, hotels, health insurance, Phuket sandbox and other options that could be useful?

 

I may start in Pattaya but will consider Phuket sandbox.

This link HERE will give you overall information about how to enter for ASQ and ALQ, including a list of all available hotels. If you click on  "Phuket Sandbox" in the top bar you'll end up HERE, where you find information about the sandbox.

For "Samui plus", which is another sandbox.model, you can find information in the pinned thread in local Samui-forum...

 

[LikeItHot]

I read the requirements I didn't see if I went the Samui sandbox route can I quarantine in my house not a hotel?

[ubonjoe]

16 minutes ago, LikeItHot said:

I read the requirements I didn't see if I went the Samui sandbox route can I quarantine in my house not a hotel?

You have to stay in a hotel registered for the sandbox.

[thailandsgreat]

9 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Check the embassy in your location as to what you specifically need for entry back to Thailand...

and forget about starting in Pattaya, that's not even an option

Phuket sandbox it is for you.

You're right. Phuket Sandbox Will be the way to start. I haven't been to Phuket in a long time. Then I stayed in Patong. I don't remember what "Phuket city" is like.

[thailandsgreat]

9 hours ago, BritTim said:

There are ASQ hotels in Pattaya, and those arriving in Suvarnabhumi are allowed to use them.

Thanks. I will check them out. But two weeks is a long time. Maybe I start w/ Phuket Sandbox

[LikeItHot]

18 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

You have to stay in a hotel registered for the sandbox.

Follow up question is see they offer short term insurance to cover a tourists trip but how does that work for an expat On a Non O extension who has no long term insurance option. After the quarantine you go home the insurance expires and life as normal?

Edited August 14, 2021 by LikeItHot

[ubonjoe]

18 minutes ago, LikeItHot said:

Follow up question is see they offer short term insurance to cover a tourists trip but how does that work for an expat On a Non O extension who has no long term insurance option. After the quarantine you go home the insurance expires and life as normal?

I assume you are asking about the covid 19 insurance. If on a extension of stay and enter with a re-entry permit the insurance has to be valid to the day your extension ends.

You can get covid 19 policies here. I have had one for over a year that I renewed a few months ago that does not pay that much but I consider it as a way to get admitted to a  hospital.

You can also find regular health insurance here up to when you are 75 that will be renewed until you are 99.

[thailandsgreat]

57 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

I assume you are asking about the covid 19 insurance. If on a extension of stay and enter with a re-entry permit the insurance has to be valid to the day your extension ends.

You can get covid 19 policies here. I have had one for over a year that I renewed a few months ago that does not pay that much but I consider it as a way to get admitted to a  hospital.

You can also find regular health insurance here up to when you are 75 that will be renewed until you are 99.

I will enter on my "retirement visa" (non-O I believe it is called) with reentry permit. It is valid until January 2022. But I believe airport check-in in my home country will demand an onward air ticket. So I plan to buy the cheapest "throwaway ticket" (wherever that may be?) to f.ex Phnom Penh, departing about one month after entry.

 

Do I really need to buy insurance to the end of my non-O visa in January or will it be enough to buy about one month until my "departure" verified by the ticket to Cambodia?

Edited August 14, 2021 by thailandsgreat

[ubonjoe]

13 minutes ago, thailandsgreat said:

I will enter on my "retirement visa" (non-O I believe it is called) with reentry permit. It is valid until January 2022. But I believe airport check-in in my home country will demand an onward air ticket.

A onward or return ticket is not required if you have a valid visa or re-entry permit.

 

13 minutes ago, thailandsgreat said:

Do I really need to buy insurance to the end of my non-O visa in January or will it be enough to buy about one month until my "departure" verified by the ticket to Cambodia?

When your COE is issued they will want the insurance to the day your extension/re-entry expires.

A onward ticket would not be accepted as your intended stay.

You could get 6 months of Covid 19 insurance. It will cost around 12k baht dependent upon the country you are traveling from. See: https://www.tipinsure.com/CovidRegional/product_detail

[thailandsgreat]

9 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

A onward or return ticket is not required if you have a valid visa or re-entry permit.

 

When your COE is issued they will want the insurance to the day your extension/re-entry expires.

A onward ticket would not be accepted as your intended stay.

You could get 6 months of Covid 19 insurance. It will cost around 12k baht dependent upon the country you are traveling from. See: https://www.tipinsure.com/CovidRegional/product_detail

Thank you UbonJoe. Will do.

 

I remember a few years ago, being demanded an onward ticket by check-in in my home country. But like you say, it was not on visa. At that time I intended to enter on visa waiver.

[LikeItHot]

On 8/14/2021 at 1:34 PM, ubonjoe said:

I assume you are asking about the covid 19 insurance. If on a extension of stay and enter with a re-entry permit the insurance has to be valid to the day your extension ends.

You can get covid 19 policies here. I have had one for over a year that I renewed a few months ago that does not pay that much but I consider it as a way to get admitted to a  hospital.

You can also find regular health insurance here up to when you are 75 that will be renewed until you are 99.

Wow that stinks. So I just renewed my extension in May so if I left and returned on a re entry let's say this week, I would have to buy 9 months of covid insurance? I followed a link from here and it was about $100 a month. That's pricey just for covid coverage. I can't get normal comprehensive coverage. Due to prexisting conditions they won't cover my heart or brain so it's worthless.  

[daveAustin]

On 8/11/2021 at 4:11 PM, thailandsgreat said:

That's a topic I was hoping to get views on. I stayed in Pattaya and saw it being shut down last winter. Went to C.M. and saw the square at Bradu Tapae completely empty of people, Burger King had left. For some reason C.R. also seems to have lost its attraction. Jetyod st. not at all like  before.

 

Well. We'll see. Maybe time has come to go there and look for a wife ???? Organization, food, what have you are #1 in the Kingdom.

Well apparently there’s this deadly ongoing pandemic. Might have something to do with Thapae Gate being a bit quiet. 
Perhaps take grain’s advice ????

[thailandsgreat]

On 8/14/2021 at 9:48 AM, ubonjoe said:

A onward or return ticket is not required if you have a valid visa or re-entry permit.

 

When your COE is issued they will want the insurance to the day your extension/re-entry expires.

A onward ticket would not be accepted as your intended stay.

You could get 6 months of Covid 19 insurance. It will cost around 12k baht dependent upon the country you are traveling from. See: https://www.tipinsure.com/CovidRegional/product_detail

So any medical insurance covering $100,000 will do, from what I read? That is the only demand? So one with a high deductible would at least cost less to buy.

 

(Sorry if this is treated elsewhere. I have been away a while.)

 

[ubonjoe]

6 minutes ago, thailandsgreat said:

So any medical insurance covering $100,000 will do, from what I read? That is the only demand? So one with a high deductible would at least cost less to buy.

That is insurance that is only for treatment if you get infected with covid 19 . I am not aware of any insurance company offering a deductible for it,

[thailandsgreat]

22 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

That is insurance that is only for treatment if you get infected with covid 19 . I am not aware of any insurance company offering a deductible for it,

I may use the wrong word. A general insurance is cheaper if you also agree to pay a fee in case you must use the insurance. If I buy a general medical insurance it will be cheaper if I agree to pay an additional smaller amount in case I am hospitalized. (I called that deductible, maybe there is a better word.)

 

Will a general medical insurance w/ coverage $100,000 do?

 

Thanks for bearing w/ my questions. 

Edited August 15, 2021 by thailandsgreat

[ThaiVisaCentre]

4 hours ago, thailandsgreat said:

I may use the wrong word. A general insurance is cheaper if you also agree to pay a fee in case you must use the insurance. If I buy a general medical insurance it will be cheaper if I agree to pay an additional smaller amount in case I am hospitalized. (I called that deductible, maybe there is a better word.)

 

Will a general medical insurance w/ coverage $100,000 do?

 

Thanks for bearing w/ my questions. 

The insurance must explicitly cover COVID-19, some policies opt-out of coverage if the individual tests positive for covid-19. 

[Sheryl]

On 8/13/2021 at 5:03 AM, hotchilli said:

Check the embassy in your location as to what you specifically need for entry back to Thailand...

and forget about starting in Pattaya, that's not even an option

Phuket sandbox it is for you.

 

As your end destination is apparently elsewhere in Thailand, be aware that domestic flights are suspended and there are bans on interprovinical travel. So getting to other parts of Thnailand from Phuket may be a challenge.

 

I am returning in early September and decided against Sandbox for this reason...didn't want to risk being stranded in Phuket.

[fauxie]

Does it matter if you don't have your flight date yet and just pick an arrival date for your insurance likely a week or two earlier than you'll fly? I'm getting so paranoid about every detail, it's crazy.

[ubonjoe]

3 hours ago, fauxie said:

Does it matter if you don't have your flight date yet and just pick an arrival date for your insurance likely a week or two earlier than you'll fly? I'm getting so paranoid about every detail, it's crazy.

It only takes a day at the most to get the covid 19 insurance. As soon as you decide on you date of entry you can buy it and apply for the COE.

[carlyai]

On 8/16/2021 at 10:11 AM, ubonjoe said:

It only takes a day at the most to get the covid 19 insurance. As soon as you decide on you date of entry you can buy it and apply for the COE.

I'm 75.5 . No problems getting the Covid insurance for my return to Thailand?